Egypt presents proposal on GERD to secure concerned countries’ interests

CAIRO – 5 July 2020: Egypt’s Water Resources Minister has introduced an Egyptian proposal on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, aiming at ensuring the Ethiopian goal of generating electricity and, at the same time, avoiding any harm to the Egyptian and Sudanese interests.

This comes within the framework of implementing the 2015 Declaration of Principles in this regard, in a way that ensures relevant principles of international law are applied, an official statement read, as the minister, heading an Egyptian team, has met with international observers and experts.

During the meeting, the Egyptian side said the country has not rejected any developmental projects on Nile River, including Ethiopian projects, adding that Egypt supports efforts of the Nile Basin countries to meet the aspiration of their peoples.

The Egyptian side has also reviewed the country’s situation concerning water, affirming that the GERD issue is existential to Egypt. It also highlighted Egypt’s keenness to reach a fair and balanced agreement on the dam, which takes into consideration the interests of the three countries.

Egypt also reviewed the technical and legal aspects of the GERD issue with the observers.

Egyptian Minister of Irrigation Mohamed El-Sebaei said Saturday that 95 percent of GERD will be completed if the “drought” part during either filling or operating the dam is resolved.

He added that in case a vivid mechanism is reached regarding the water level required for the filling, the negotiations will be close to a full agreement.

Sebaei added in press statements that Sudan is having a technical dispute that revolves around the safety of the dam and its water flow towards the Sudanese lands, noting that a third part may mediate in case a resolution was not found.

He pointed out that the current round of negotiations had witnessed a dispute over some points, adding that Egypt is keen to reach an agreement that preserves everyone’s water rights without harming the Egyptian rights.

He said that Egypt seeks to reach a legally binding agreement over GERD as the Nile waters considered to be a matter of existence to Egypt.